20170320 Sparks from welding torch blamed for deadly Dongtan fire
Korea Apr 19 2017 “Stores”
Dead : dead 0 or unknown Burnout : 1 to 29 Injured : injured 0 or unknown
Sparks from welding torch blamed for deadly Dongtan fire
Updated: 2017-03-20 15:37
Authorities continued efforts on Sunday to find what caused a fire at a fish market in Incheon, Saturday, causing about 650 million won ($574,000) damage.
Officials at the Incheon Namdong Police Station and the National Forensic Service (NFS) inspected the traditional fish market near Sorae Port in southern Incheon.
Authorities examined a transformer in the Ga building of the market, after video footage showed the fire started there.
The market’s four areas are designated by Korean syllables such as Ga, Na, Da and Ra, with Ga being home to more than 30 percent of the 332 street stalls.
Police suspect an electrical surge might have caused the fire, as the footage shows no one was in the vicinity when the fire started.
NFS officials collected melted electrical cords for analysis. Many electric mats and fish tanks are used in the area. Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) officials also helped to determine the cause.
Three witnesses have since come forward _ two store owners and a watchman.
One store owner, whose identity is not disclosed, was the first to call 119 to report the emergency when he saw the fire. His seafood restaurant is on the fourth floor in a building behind the Ga area.
“I was inside my restaurant cleaning, when I heard a loud noise,” the man said. “I rushed to where that sound came from and I saw a small fire had broken out inside a plastic tent in the Ga area.
“The fire was small at the time, but it spread so fast and became uncontrollable.”
The watchman, who was on an afternoon shift, said he had patrolled the area shortly before the fire, but did not see anything that indicated possible danger.
More than 220 street stalls and 20 stores were burned down after the fire broke out Saturday early morning at 1:36 a.m., and continued for more than two and a half hours. Nearly 200 police and fire department forces fought the blaze. There were no injuries or fatalities.
The fish market is a tourist destination and is famous for crab. Merchants at the market said the fire had happened just before the crab season.
“Spring crab season is just about to start,” said a store owner, who asked not to be named. “I won’t have any business this season. My water tank and a fridge also burned down, and that costs 5 million won to 6 million won.” He said he earned 10 million won to 20 million won on average during the crab season.
On Sunday, the Ministry of Public Safety and Security said it would provide 1 billion won in emergency funds to the affected merchants.
Web Source: The korea times
http://koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2017/03/113_225938.html